Assessment of Dealers’ Contribution in Current and Future E-waste Management Trends Within Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Dar es Salaam city, generates massive amount of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipments (WEEE) that either ends up in the environment or kept at home or commercial areas. This study aimed at investigating the currenting WEEE management practices, assessing the level of public awareness on WEEE, and come up with the model that can predict the rate (%) of discarded WEEE. Both the qualitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used, that is the use of questionnaires, and interviews to EEE business people, repair technicians, public, recycling companies and the regulating authority. It was found out that Increase in WEEE within Dar es Salaam city is caused by growth of economic rate, population growth rate, household purchasing capacity, while the decrease of the waste is associated with recycling plans and exportation of the waste. Also, the public (76%) doesn’t consider the broken or expired EEE as waste, as a result they opt to keep them at home than giving them to recyclers or collectors. Even though there are recyclers within the city, they can only recycle 35% of the generated WEEE. If the current situation continues by 2026, about 68% of the generated WEEE will be discarded to the environment or at home or business places. The situation shall be rectified by promoting the WEEE recyclers.